The Snow Day by Komako Sakai Picture Book Review

A snow storm brings a day at home for a little rabbit. What the rabbit really wants to do is run outside and play in the snow, but the rabbit’s mother won’t let it. Not until the snow stops falling. As the day progresses, the snow continues to fall, and father’s flight home is canceled. Will the snow ever stop falling, and will little rabbit ever get to enjoy some time romping in the cold, white drifts of snow?

I admit that I am not qualified to determine whether or not this book and it’s subdued illustrations will appeal to the target audience of children 4 – 8. I will therefore make a few observations, and then turn the floor over to my littlest niece, Elly-Bean, who is in that age bracket. Elly loves her books, and she is carefully being groomed to pick up the slack here at Manga Maniac Cafe. Only a couple more years, and she can start pulling her own weight and helping me out with con coverage and review chores. I wonder what kinds of stories she will take a hankering to…

The Snow Day chronicles one of my favorite days, following a young rabbit as it learns that there won’t be any school that day, and that there’s no need to rush out of bed. But wait! It’s snowing, so the excited bunny isn’t going to waste time snoozing when there is all of that snow to play in. Mom is pretty strict, putting a damper on plans to romp through the freshly fallen snow.

The book is very simple and offers up the excitement and magic of a day a home, waiting and watching as the snow continues to fall unabated. The illustrations effectively capture the quiet solitude of a snow storm, of the feeling of isolation as the snow piles up ever higher. The colors are soft and muted, echoing the snow outside, with occasional flashes of red or blue or yellow. The sense of solitude is enhanced when the rabbit and its mother venture outside, and only they are scampering through the drifts, making snow balls and snow dumplings. Their world is muted, seeming to contain only them and the mounds of pure white snow.

Now it’s time for Elly-Bean to take the floor:

1. Did you like The Snow Day?

Yeah.

2. Why did you like the book?

Cause I liked it snowing and she was making snow dumplings.

3. What did you think of the little rabbit?

The little rabbit was cute.

4. Did you like the pictures?

Yeah.

5. Why?

Because they look like home.

6. Do you think other people should read The Snow Day?

Yeah.

7. Do you like snow days?

Yeah.

Well, there you have it. It’s a winner for the Bean, a soon to be 4 year old.